11 Jan 2021

Green-Eyed Neighbours

Q. Neighbours can make the deepest of friends. But, what kind of things make those who live side by side jealous of each other? . A. We see it in The Simpsons and the Flintstones, Three’s Company and Mary Tyler Moore, from Friends to Seinfeld, Modern Family to Succession. In

06 Jan 2021

The Foods They Craved

Q. Which foods have bewitched well-known historical figures? . A. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s wrote mounds of  letters – to his wife ‘Stanzi’, to friends, to family. Amongst all the interesting details, we get a keen peek into appetites of the day. One meal that Mozart craved from a young age?

04 Jan 2021

Most Borrowed Books

Q. What were the most borrowed library books in 2020? . A. Open or closed, the Vancouver Public Library was busy during Pandemic 2020. CBC News reports that digital book borrowing went up 50% over the year. Which were the most borrowed books? . Adult Fiction Print books The Testaments by

01 Jan 2021

12 Grapes for 2021

Q. Why is there a run on grapes in Spain on the days leading up to New Years Eve? . A. The grapes are for a tradition said to date back to the late 1800s. How to bring in a New Year of good fortune and health? Eat one grape

30 Dec 2020

Ladies Whistledown and Crackenthorpe

Q. Lady Whistledown, aka the Gossip Girl of Netflix’s wildly popular 1800s drama Bridgerton, is quick to report on the scandals of the British upper classes. Who were some of her real-life equivalents?   A. ‘London is awash these days with Ambitious Mamas.’ So writes the pseudonymous ‘Lady Whistledown’ in

28 Dec 2020

Detective + Spy Words

Q. What are some lesser used or vintage words for the world of spies and detectives? . A. Wannabe Nancy Drew/Hercule Poirot/Sherlock Holmes to the books … Argute Shrewd Birdwatcher A spy Cannon-Shooter A private investigator who specializes in tracking down pickpockets Chicken Feed The real but ultimately harmless intelligence

23 Dec 2020

The Mystery of Mince Pie

Q. So, what exactly are mince or mincemeat pies? Plenty of people who have eaten them at holiday parties aren’t so sure. . A. We see mince pies featured in multi-layer meaning nursery rhymes: Little Jack Horner Sat in a corner, Eating a mincemeat (or Christmas) pie He stuck in

21 Dec 2020

Most Annoying Phrases

Q. Which phrases do people find most annoying? . A. As it turns out, there are a lot. ‘This is true.’ (😖 ) Big Picture Annoyances This December, Marist polled 1,753 adults about the words and phrases that annoy them most. Survey says.. 2020 Most Annoying Words or Phrases i. Whatever

18 Dec 2020

A Dissing of Deer

Q. Why do some animals have such beautifully considered collective nouns while others are lumped together under rude, or perhaps worse, indifferent ‘nouns of assembly’? . A. It does seem unfair that we celebrate an exaltation of larks, a caravan of camels, pride of lions, streak of tigers, romp of

12 Dec 2020

Creating Hit Songs

Q. What are some of the common characteristics that define songs that hit the top of the charts? . A. Some would argue that dissecting art is a fool’s errand, that the magic is in the mix. If it was easy, surely more people would have followed ‘hit song’ research